China can open doors, but it doesn’t promise an easy path. A lot of people arrive with expectations of instant jobs and fast money. The truth is different, and the reality hits quickly if you don’t prepare. Expectation 1: “I’ll get a monthly job quickly.” Most foreigners discover that monthly jobs aren’t as common as they imagined. Only a small number...

Aside from essential apps like WeChat, Alipay, Didi, Maps, etc., one of the other apps that I use most often here is Dianping, especially for looking up restaurants and bars. It's a great way to find new places, check opening times and addresses, book tables and get some banging discounts.  Almost every restaurant or bar is guaranteed to have at least one kind of deal or discount....

Talking About Daily Activities Welcome to Class 4 of our Chinese learning series! In this lesson, we’ll focus on how to talk about daily activities in Chinese. These are useful phrases you can use right away in everyday life. 🕘 Morning Activities 起床 (qǐ chuáng) – Wake up / Get up 刷牙 (shuā yá) – Brush teeth 洗脸 (xǐ liǎn) – Wash face 吃早饭 (chī zǎo...

China is one of the best places in the world to do business, but it is also one of the easiest places to make costly mistakes if you rush in unprepared. Many people arrive with big ideas, excitement and confidence, but few take the time to truly understand the environment they are stepping into. The entrepreneurs who last in China don’t just work hard — they work intentionally....

Looking for a quick escape this Golden Week? If you want to avoid the big crowds but still enjoy the holiday, here are some of the best day trips you can take from major cities in China. Beijing ➝ Great Wall Hike the Mutianyu or Jinshanling sections of the Great Wall for stunning views and fewer tourists compared to Badaling. Shanghai ➝ Suzhou Known as the “Venice of the...